A Life After All
by Madi1292
Summary: Its been one year since Tris's death and Tobias still trudges through each day with a pang in his chest. But what if Tris never died? In this after Allegiant fic, Tris has been captured by a group of rebels planning to create a new city similar to the faction one. She is merely an experiment of simulation and unspeakable tortures. Will they ever find her? Has Tobias moved on?
1. Chapter 1

Tris:

I open my eyes to a blinding white light. I am dead. I am certainly dead, but the pound of my heart beat tells me other wise.

Why am I not dead?

My eyes adjust and I realize I'm in some sort of cell similar to the one I once was held in Erudite. I slowly sit up to a pounding in my head and an aching in my ribs where I was shot. I'm wearing some sort of hospital gown in a lightly padded bed and my hands, I realize are bound together by a tough fabric. Across the room is a sink, and in the corner covered by a wall is a toilet.

Prison is the first word that comes to mind. I must be in some sort of prison. I ask myself again: How the hell am i not dead? and where am I? And if I'm alive, does Tobias know? Is he coming to get me? The thought of Tobias brings guilt to my chest. I never got to say goodbye.

As if on cue a tall man with a clipboard enters the room with a smirk on his face. His are a cold gray and the expression on his face makes me shudder. Like a predator looking at his prey.

"Beatrice," he says cooly, "welcome back."

"Where am I?" I demand

"Not so fast Tris, all in good time." His smirk has now turned into a smile "Well, you are as fiery as they described. You will do nicely here." he pauses "If you behave."

My mind is racing with questions but I can't let him get control of me. I need to stay calm.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I say firmly but nicer than before.

"My name is Dr. Connor Flannigan. I am what you call a rebel, an aristocrat, or might I say an insurgent." He winks after the last word. "The bureau may be destroyed, Tris, but there are people like myself who still believe in that government and blossoming it to new levels." He sees my look of confusion and continues to explain. "We strive to create a new society such as the one who grew up in. A new experiment city we like to call City of New Hope."

I roll my eyes, "City of New Hope? That's a pretty stupid name if you ask me."

His grow colder and he unexpectedly swings his hand across my face. My face stings with shock.

"Speaking out of term, especially in rude ways will not help you here." His says coldly. "You are not our first guest Ms. Prior, but you are a special one." His eyes change from cold to crazy hunger. The look reminds me all too well of the greedy Erudite leader, Jeanine. "You know the most about the city where you came from and about her: Jeanine. I know you know what she wanted and how her simulations worked. You, being divergent, have vital information we need to create our new city."

_Divergent? What could divergence have anything to do with creating a new city?_

"Oh yes," he says, "I can see that you are trying to figure it out in that smart brain of yours. But I won't tell you."

The shock I felt in my body must have spread to my face because he laughs.

"You didn't think I would trust you enough to tell you every part our plan? Maybe you're not as smart as I thought."

Anger surges through me. I already hate him. My body reacts before I think and muster all the spit I can and spit as hard as I can in his face. He makes a gagging noise of disgust and slowly wipes it off his face. I would have felt satisfied if he yelled or got angry but his calmness frightens me.

He leans in so close that the pricks of his growing beard tickle my cheek.

"You're gonna wish you never did that. You're going to wish you were dead after what we do to you, Tris Prior."

Even though my stomach drops with fear as he pulls his face away, I give the most menacing glare I can muster.

Before he reaches the door, he turns around with a cold stare and says, "Day 1 starts tomorrow. You will be facing the worst simulation you could possibly imagine. And if you fail," he smirks now, "lets just the consequences will be…severe."

He walks out and I am left with the pounding in my chest and the ring of the slammed door.

He's right.

I wish I were dead.


	2. Chapter 2

Tobias:

When I open my eyes, I know immediately what day it is.

Its been one year.

One year since Tris has been gone. My heart seizes in my chest. This has been the hardest year of my life. Living without her is like living without a part of my soul. Each day, I have tried thrive and survive but each day is just as worse as the one before. There are days when I truly do believe I'm getting better but, not a day goes by when I don't think about her or see her face. I see a part of her in everywhere I go and everything I do. Her bravery stands tall in my mind. The only times I truly get to see her is in my dreams. She haunts me with her striking blue eyes and daring personality. I even hear her laugh sometimes but I realize its just crazy old me, hallucinating.

It seems as though everyone has moved on, well I still have Christina. We found solace in our friendship. She seems to be the only one who understands how difficult it is, even though its been a year and the world still moves as though she didn't even exist.

I escape my thoughts and tumble out of bed. I now work in what they call the Dauntless Security System (DSS) which is all part of the new government that was created after the Bureau was destroyed. I help keep the people safe and secure which I suppose is both my abnegation and dauntless showing through, not that the factions matter anymore. But how can I just forget something that categorized people my entire life? I can't help but think in that way.

Christina works in the DSS as well as Zeke and many others I have not bothered to meet. To them I'm just Four, the guy who helped save the entire population from the destruction by the bureau. Both Christina and I have been given the day off (everyone knows what day it is) but once I see Christina walking into the large, gray DSS building I know she feels the same way I do. Not working would only make today worse. Having something to do gives my mind a distraction.

Christina meets my eyes as we both reach for the elevator. Hers are read and puffy, I can feel even from 10 feet away. Once I reach her its hard not to feel the heat rushing to my cheeks and the burn of tears stinging my eyes.

Come on Tobias. Keep it in.

I can't cry today. I won't. Maybe if I don't, today will be like any other day.

I wrap my arms around Christina and we just stay there until we reach our floor. A silent gesture speaks a thousand words. We let go and she opens her mouth to say something but then stops. She's right, what is there to say? I open my mouth before she can do it again

"Let's get through the day, okay Christina?"

She nods and looks away. I hear her make one tiny whimper, a sniff, and then she holds her head high and walks out of the elevator. I swallow my tears, and follow her.


	3. Chapter 3

Tris:

A year. That's how long I've been wishing I was dead. But one face pops into my head every time I think about letting go: Tobias. I hold on to every last bit of hope I have of him finding me. For 12 months now I have been brutally tortured and beaten. My arms, legs, back, and face are covered in bruises, cuts, and burns. I hardly get to look at myself in the mirror but I know I look weak. I'm as white as a sheet and paper thin. My body is constantly aching from the torture they give me each day.

The they I am referring to are of course Dr. Connor and his belligerent team. They are ruthless and never miss an opportunity to hurt me. Physically and Mentally.

I am only allowed to shower every three days to "conserve water supply" but I'm not stupid, I know that they just want it for themselves. I am given one bowl of oatmeal in the morning and a chicken strip, green beans, and a roll each night. Each week I go through four days of simulations and 3 days of what they like to call "Disciplinary Training." In Disciplinary Training me and the other 3 prisoners here are tortured for information that we don't have and trained to think like the City of New Hope rebels. Only one of the four of us have compiled to their wishes. The simulations are not like the simulations Jeanine created. These simulations are practically real and impossible to break out of. Everything that happens in the simulation and to me, happen in real life (except for the fact that I am not allowed to die). Just yesterday I was put in a sim in the mountains. In this sim, the object was to scale the side of the mountain and climb to the top in order to save a child who was about to jump off. I nearly fell to my death, slid 10 feet down the mountain and grabbed onto a tree branch. Not only did I receive a huge gash on the side of my calf, but I failed. And failing equals more tests, more blood drawn, and 30 minutes in the electric chair.

I have yet to find out anymore information on what exactly these tests and simulations are for, but I know that somehow my divergent blood is the key to unlock new information for Dr. Connor. I am his most valued subject. But I am also the most difficult one. Nothing pleases me more than to see Connor struggling to get information.

I have at least managed to make one friend during my time here. Well, possibly two if you count the one and only guard who is kind to me. The second week I was here I met a 23 year old girl named Cassie who was also a divergent. She was apparently dauntless born but transferred to candor. Only, when they began using the truth serum a candor leader discovered her divergence but she fled before he could execute her. Cassie has been here 6 months longer than I have but somehow I look much weaker and bruised than she does. Although we can't speak much, we speak with our body and our eyes. By passing each other in the hall we can tell what other has been through that day. Its nice to have a companion who knows exactly what you are going through. Its also nice to know that at least one of the guards in this place isn't a complete psycho.

I learned that the guard's name is Theo. Theo occasionally sneaks me an extra bread roll and tries as hard as he can to end my torture earlier than scheduled. He also lets Cassie and I talk when we go to the showers. I always wonder how such a kind man ended up in a place like this.

My stomach rumbles loudly which must mean its almost 7:30. There's no clock in any of the cells so I usually tell the time by my schedule, or my stomach tells the time for me.

My cell door opens and I involuntarily jump. Every time that door opens it means a guard is there to take me to my next horror. I will never get used to it. Luckily its Theo,

"Tris, the doctor wishes to see you. Follow me."

_That's strange. I never see him at this hour._ I think.

It's hard to breath through the pain of walking after today's endeavors which involved: a whip, the chair, and a scalpel. We walk down the long narrow hollow, and I feel chills down my spine. Whatever the Dr. wants, it can't be good.

He guides me through a doorway into what I know as the control room. There is a metal chair in the middle of the room and attached to it are wires. The wires lead to Connor, in his control booth and in front of the booth stand three guards.

"Good evening Beatrice," Connor's cold voice fills the room, "before you have you're dinner, there is a new test I need you to try that I am _very_ excited about." A wave of exhaustion hits me and I nearly pass out. His new tests are never good, in fact they are my worst nightmare.

"Go ahead and sit in the chair, sweetheart." I cringe. I hate it when he calls me that.

"No." I say flatly. "I am done playing your games."

"Beatrice honey you know what happens when you don't do as I say."

The three guards take two steps closer to me. I look around the room for any sign of protection I can use against myself. On the wall to my left there is a metal bar leaning against the wall. I am weak but impulse takes over. I run as fast as my invalid body can to the bar but the guards run faster. One grabs me hard by the hair but I jab him in the nose with my elbow and finally get a grasp on the metal bar. With all my strength I whack another guard across the face, managing to get a good blow in, but three very large men against one meekly little girl is impossible. I am punched in the throat and pushed to the ground, a moan escapes from my mouth. One of them kicks me in the head and suddenly the room is spinning and my vision is going in and out. I know I am too weak to fight back but I try to sit up anyway. The guard I originally knocked down is back up and angrier than before. He kicks me twice in the ribs and I scream in pain. Whatever he just did to my side can't be good. He kicks me one more time just for pleasure. A strangled wheeze escapes my throat. I feel like I'm about to pass out or throw up, or both.

I hear laughing coming from the control booth. "Ohh Trisss,"he hisses, "how very brave of you to fight back." I try as hard as I can to swallow my tears. I will not cry in front of him. I will not let him win. He kneels down in front of my face, smiling. "Will you ever learn Beatrice?" I scowl at him. "I will never let you control me." I say. He punches me hard across the jaw and this time I swear I see stars. He stands and says "Wrong answer. Take her back to her cell and don't give her dinner. The little rat doesn't deserve it." Before he leaves he kicks me in the same spot where the other guard kicked before. Extreme heated pain spreads throughout my entire right side and I know that something has to be broken. One tear, thats all I allow myself when the guards begin to take me away. I can hardly walk and breath at the same time but nevertheless all they do is push me along the dark hallway and into my cell. I have to breath through my nose in order to ease the pain in my ribs. I glare at them until they leave but once they're gone I collapse as carefully as I can onto my bed with the room spinning and my ribs on fire. I am positive I have a concussion.

_Be Brave Tris. _I tell myself

I close my eyes to try and escape my pain. Despite my nightmares, sleep is the only time I can feel peaceful. I focus on my breathing instead of the pain and slowly I fall into a deep sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Tris:

I am awaken to yells and gunshots echoing throughout the compound. Adrenaline sits me up but I immediately double over in pain. My ribs hurt so badly that I can hardly breath and my head pounds a steady beat that makes the room spin. I should not be sitting but I need to find out what's going on. Carefully I lift my legs over the bed and onto the frigid stone floor. I almost throw up the pain is so extreme. _Come on Tris, stay strong. _I swear it takes 5 minutes just to actually get out of bed, but the growing shouts outside my cell help me push myself up. I try to focus on my steps to fright off the pain. _One..come on…two…three…almost there…four. _

Before I can take a fifth step the door explodes and I am thrown by the impact into the ground. I close my eyes, my ears ringing in pain.

"Tris?!" His voice makes me fling my eyes open. A small, hysterical laugh escapes my lips. I must be seeing things. It can't be. This can't be happening. It's him. Its Tobias. "You're alive?!" he bellows in disbelief. All I can do is nod my head. Tears threaten to escape both of our eyes. His eyes scan my body with awe and I wonder. I wonder if I look as broken as I feel. _Come on Tris you have to sit up. _My face crumples up in as I lift myself from the ground.

"Woah woah woah," he says. and he reaches down to pick me up. A moan escapes my mouth, but he smiles at me. "Lets get you out of here." His arms are oh so warm and safe. I feel like a tiny sparrow in the arms of an eagle. A smile spreads it self upon my face. I am safe. I am safe because he is finally here. He runs down the hall with my broken body cradled in his arms. Even though the boisterous noises of gunshots echo around us, all I can focus on his him. I have been waiting for him everyday for more than 365 days and he is here and he is mine. I look up into his eyes as he pulls to a stop just before the doors outside.

"Can you stand?" He says. I'm not sure if I can but I nod my head anyway. With our any harm, he lowers me to the ground, never letting a hand leave my body. I finally look into his deep, concerning eyes that I've so longed to see and he looks into mine. But something stops me short. His eyes are not the deep chocolate I remember. They are a hard, cold black. I pull away form him despite the longing in my chest.

"What?" he says, "What is it?" I close my eyes and take a deep breath. No one's eyes can change color in just one year.

This isn't real.

"I'm sorry Tobias. I'm sorry I left you without saying goodbye." I stand on my tiptoes, kiss his forehead, and walk away into nothingness.

I awake to yells of frustration coming from the control booth which must mean, I did not make Dr. Connor very happy by beating the sim. Tears of lost hope stream down my face. I thought it was real, I really thought he had come to rescue me. I am crushed. The control room door slams shut and Connor furiously makes his way over to my chair. I wipe my tears before he sees me. He walks straight up to the chair and puts his arms on either side of the chair, so that I am trapped in. His anger is nearly tangible.

"How do you do it?! He yells. I flinch. Who knows what he could do next. "Huh?! How do you do it, you little shit!" I feel the sting of the slap before I even register it. He slaps again on the other side. I have to bite the inside of the cheek to keep from crying out. "I can break Cassie, I can break the others, but why can't I break you?" I can't help it but It makes me feel triumphant when he doesn't get what he wants. I will never let him have answers. There's no way I will let him create another corrupted society.

I give him a sly smile. "You will never break me." He shouts in frustration and storms towards the door. But instead of leaving he grabs a gun off the nearest guards' belt and points it at me. My body goes cold. He could do it. He could really do it and it wouldn't matter. Nothing would matter. A small, pained voice in the back of my head creeps in saying: _do it. Do it and this could all be over. You could be dead like you were suppose to be. _

Instead he moves the gun back down and stares me down. I hold his stare back. Longer than I wanted to actually. Then before my mind registers what he's doing he pulls the gun back up and shoots me in the bottom part of my left leg.

Agony, is an understatement. I scream and crumple to floor, my muscles going numb from the shock. Now, I really do cry. It feels as though someone is stabbing a knife into my calf over and over again. Two guards come over, each grab and arm and lift me up. I feel dizzy with pain. I should not be on my feet right now. They half walk me half drag me as I try as I hard as I can to not let my left leg touch the ground. Just as we're about to leave the room Connor stops them and looks me in the eye. My vision may be blurry with tears but I can see the clear and precise glee it brings him to see me writhing in pain.

He grabs my jaw with his hand and sneers "You thought I was going to end this for you didn't you? If you think that I'm going to end your life quickly then you're the stupid one."

I am deployed back in my cell though I feel like my body can hardly move. I scream out of pain and frustration as I crawl to my bed. My leg leaves a trail of blood that makes me sick. I turn to the side as bile releases itself from my body. It takes every muscle I have to lift myself onto my bed and rip a piece of my only pair of sheets to tie around my bullet wound. If don't tie it tight enough, I am certain I will bleed to death. The moment I finish tying the knot my dizziness sets in and soon everything fades to a black nothingness.


	5. Chapter 5

Tobias:

I open my eyes to the same old morning sun. Another day, just the same. Today, I bury myself in my work in order to keep my mind busy. I've been assigned the task of watching the camera monitors in the east segment of the city. Although I agreed to do it, I regret the choice immensely. The east part of the city holds a lot of memories for me. The east is the closest to the old Erudite building which they now are transforming into a medical center. Erudite is where I was held captive, where Jeanine was killed, it holds the moment that everything changed for the city, and it's where Tris almost died.

_Damn it. I was so close to not thinking of her today. Focus on the screens Tobias._

I watch, hunched over for a couple of hours before I finally get to have my lunch break. Miserably, I drag myself to the lunch room and sit at the table with Christina, Shauna, and Zeke.

"Well you look miserable." Christina says blatenly. I laugh. Once a candor, always a candor.

"Yeah well I've been assigned to look over the east side today, which I wasn't too happy about. They all get quiet. It seems as though everyone holds memories in Erudite too.

Zeke nudges my shoulder and says "Christina and I and a few others are gonna go make a little surprise entrance at a rebel camp, see if we can't shut them down. You should come. Get away from the computers for a while." I sigh. I know that in the past few months the DSS as been finding and destroying Bureau rebels(people who still believe in the old government system)and as much as I would love to spring back into the action I just can't put my heart to it.

"I don't know, I think I'd better stick with my job...I just, I mean I haven't shot a gun in a while and.." I let my sentence trail off. Really, there isn't much for me to say.

Zeke just nods. "I get man, I get. It's cool. Just," he pauses, "You should try getting back into the weapons room today and start training again. We could use your out in the field."

I nod and one by one they file out. Once everybody has left I make sure no one is looking and make my way down the hall. But instead of going back to the dull control room, I make my way to the first floor training rooms. Zeke had a good point. Maybe if I can get back to the way I was, things won't be so difficult. I open the metal door to the first training room and am hit with a wave of familiar smells. Why does everything have to bring back so many memories?

Slowly, I reach for a gun off the wall not caring which one I picked. My hands encircle the familiar feeling of the butt of the gun. Its strange how something so familiar can feel so foreign. How long has it been since I've held a gun? _Too long. _I take two long strides to the target, take up my gun to shoot but I hold it still and keep my eye on the target. I'm not sure how long I stand there. Seconds? Minutes? _Get over yourself, Four. Just shoot. _I take one deep breath and push the trigger. It hits the target, not where I was excepting, but at least I've still got it. Pulling my hands up with the gun, I try again. It hits the same spot, inches from the bullseye. I shoot again and again and again. It becomes almost addicting. I stay in the training room for hours, trying different guns, using the punching bags, and using the knife throwing station.

Finally, I sit and take a few swigs of water. I can't help but smile. It feels good to be doing something I'm good at it. I feel good doing things that I'm good at. Minutes later the door swings open, giving me a jolt of surprise. Zeke stands panting in the doorway but something must be wrong because his clothes are splattered with blood. I run to him.

"Zeke! What in the hell happened?"

"You weren't in your…room," he says panting, "but I..figured you'd be…down here."

"What happened?!" I demand. He swallows and takes a breath.

"We went on just a..usual raid but but..but this one had prisoners…testing or something like that, but Four…we found her.

"What do you mean?! Found Who?!"

He looks at me with wild eyes and spurts out

"Tris. She's alive."


	6. Chapter 6

Tris:

It's not the roaring pain in my calf that wakes me up but the sounds of gunshots echoing through the halls. Following the gunshots are a series of shouts and yells. _That's strange, _I think. Usually when I hear the guards practicing they're never this loud. I sit up using what little strength I have in my arms, the pain brings tears to my eyes. I look down and remove the very bloody cloth I used to wrap around my wound and almost gag. There is a pool of blood on the floor by my bed and the sheets are soaked in blood. I feel lightheaded and dizzy, I must have lost a lot of blood throughout the night. My bullet wound is the worst. Luckily the bullet didn't actually go in, but the wound itself already looks infected. I rip another piece of cloth from my sheets and tie it tightly around the wound. I wince and the room begins to spin again. _You need to lie down. _A small voice in my head says. But I also need to know what's going on outside. The shouts have grown louder and the gunshots seem to be growing in size. I grit my teeth and pull myself to where I am fulling sitting. Tears blur my eyes and a white hot pain shoots through my leg. The sounds outside are definitely not just the guards practicing. Something big is happening, I'm sure of it.

Breathing heavily I try to ignore my dizziness and carefully swing my legs to rest on the ground. My arms are shaking with exhaustion. Taking one deep breath I push through my arms and try to stand up but the minute the weight of my body reaches my legs I collapse to the ground. A cry of pain escapes my mouth. I feel like I'm about to pass out. _I can't do this, I just can't do it. _I let myself curl into a ball and close my eyes. I haven't had food or water in about a day, my scars seem to be burning, I have no strength left, I can hardly breath because of my bruised ribs, and now I can't even walk. Defeated, I begin to let a steady flow of tears escape my eyes. _You're such a coward. God, you're weaker than you were when you were a stiff. _Now I'll never know what's happening outside.

Before I can even let myself fall into another sleep. The door burst wide open. I close my eyes so that I can't see. Butterflies swarm in my stomach as I think about what they could possibly do to me today? Aren't I injured enough? Can't they pick on someone their own size?

"Christina come help!" My eyes whip open and my heart begins to pound. Christina? Am I dreaming? More gunshots go off in the hall but a tall figure stands before me in my cell. I look up, instinctively in fear but I am met with a strangely familiar face. My whole body fills with joy I am unable to contain. It's Zeke. I hear another pair of footsteps enter the room but I am took weak to even lift my head.

"Hey, there's a prisoner in here make sure someone is backing you up."

"Yeah I'll go check, be right back."

My head is screaming. It's me you idiot! Its Tris!

"Zeke." I whisper.

"huh?" I hear him say. _Oh my god, _I think, _they don't even recognize me._

He bends down and I try to lift my head, so that he can see my face in better light.

"Zeke, it's me." I choke out. Finally my head reaches good light. He jumps back and his eyes go wild in astonishment.

"Tris?! You're alive?!" I meekly smile and nod before the dizziness takes over and I have to drop my head.

"Oh my god," he says, "Christina! Christina get your ass in here now!" His yelling hurts my ears, but I don't care, I don't care. I don't care because they're actually here! I did it, I stuck it out long enough. I press my forehead against the cool stone and smile. They actually came.

"Christina!" He yells again. "Hang in there Tris, we're gonna get you out of this hell hole." I hear footsteps and then Christina's voice.

"Jesus Zeke I was shooting down guys that you forgot to-" She stops as I try to make eye contact with here. Her eyes look like they've seen a ghost. Well for her, it must be considering I'm suppose to be dead. She covers her mouth with her hand and quickly crosses to Zeke and kneels.

"Tris?" She says in almost a whisper. "What on earth- are you…you..you're a..live?" She softly touches my face as if to make sure I'm real.

"Yes." I whisper. Tears of joy begin to sprout from both of our eyes. Wincing, I sit up as best as I can and wrap my arms around her body. We hold each other tightly, her strong body enveloping my paper thin one. How long as it been since I have waited for this moment? How many times have I pictured it in my head?

Zeke coughs and says "I really do hate to break this up, but we really need to get our of here before whoever runs this place gets back."

A shiver run downs my spine, "You mean Dr. Connor isn't here?"

"Apparently no. I've been told that he and two other rebels were gone before we raided the place."

I bite my lip and nod. I wish he was dead. Or worse I wish he was here so they could capture him and take him prisoner like he did me.

"Tris can you stand?" Christina asks softly.

I'm about to nod my head yes but then remembering what happened early I decide to shake my head no. There's no point in acting brave when you can't even look the part.

"That's okay," she says, "Zeke can carry you, Zeke?" He nods and bends down to scoop me up. Once I am in his arms I can't help but let a moan of pain escape my mouth. Everything hurts.

"Careful Zeke!" My vision begins to go black from the pain in my calf and the room spins almost making me throw up.

"I'm sorry Tris, I'll try to move gently but it looks like these rebels are calling their back up and we need to leave before they get here."

I nod and rest my head on his shoulder. Speaking takes too much energy. We leave the cell, and I don't dare take one last look. Good riddance. We begin to pass each room that held different tortures in them then suddenly I take a sharp intake of air and gasp.

"Cassie." I wheeze.

"What?" Zeke asks. "What did you say?"

"We can't leave without Cassie."

"Who?"

"I think she's talking about another prisoner." Christina pipes in. "I'll radio the others and make sure they get her out."

"Thank you." I whisper.

I don't see her but I know she's smiling. We're almost past the first corridor when suddenly Zeke stops. I lift my head to see why. I see that Christina has her gun pointed at a rebel guard but what's strange is that the guard has his hands up. I try to focus through my haziness and realize who it is. Theo.

"Christina don't shoot!" I shout.

"Please." Theo says sounding desperately. "Take me with you. I want out of this place, I wish to do good."

Christina looks back at me with a puzzled face.

"We can't trust him, Tris. He's a traitor."

"But I trust him. Please, he's good Christina. He stood up for me when no one else would. He's a prisoner of this place, just like me."

Christina looks back at him. Then back at me. I can see the conflictment in her head of trusting her instincts to kill or trusting me. "Fine." She says, "But you'll be put on trial for treason, then its not up to me what they do with you, got it?"

"Yes, yes thank you. Thank you so much."

"Yeah whatever let's just go. Can you show us the way out?" I can tell Christina doesn't trust him but I don't care. That's another life I got to save today. As Theo leads we begin our descent to my freedom but with each step Zeke takes, pain races through my entire body. I try not to groan because I am thankful that he is carrying me but I let out a whimper from time to time. I hate how weak I am. Zeke stops, out of breath, as we reach a flight of stairs and though I'm not the one running, I am about to pass out. His grip on my bruised ribcage makes it hard to breath and though I can't see it I know my wound must still be bleeding out. I become weaker every minute. Christina looks at me with worry.

"Zeke she's losing too much blood. We need to keep moving." He feel him nod and up the staircase we climb. When we reach the top, I am not prepared for the outdoors. Theo swings the door open and I press my hands to my eyes. How long has it been since I've been outside? 3 months? 6? The sounds and the air are extremely overwhelming. My breathing becomes shallower and quicker. The outdoors, seeing Zeke and Christina, and the thought of finally being free is too much. I gasp for breath.

"Hold on Tris! We're almost there!" Zeke shouts.

The blood loss and the pain finally makes me cave in and the last thing I see is a huge black van. Then everything goes black.

"


	7. Chapter 7

Tobias:

My feet move before my head registers what I'm doing. I bolt out of the room and practically sprint to my car, hardly waiting for Zeke to catch up and hop in. My body feels numb and before I get into the drivers seat Zeke stops me.

"Maybe it would be better if I drove." I nod my head, gratefully. There's no way I could drive right now. My head is exploding with questions, but I can't form them into words. How can she be alive? Where has she been for the past year? Is she okay? Zeke briefly explains whatever he can which thankfully answers at least the basics. I barley nod my head, only listening the words and not really comprehending them. All I can think about is that she is alive. Alive! God what if she doesn't love me anymore? What if she's not the same? Did they change her? My palms begin to sweat. How much longer till we get there?

Zeke barely pulls into the parking lot before I burst out of the car and run inside through the hospital doors. I run to the front desk and breathlessly ask the nurse, "Tris Prior, where is she?"

"I'm sorry sir, but she is in surgery right now." Surgery? That's not the answer I was hoping for.

"When can I see her?" I ask a little too aggressively but the nurse stays composed.

"I understand you need to see her now, but if you sit in the waiting room I can come out and tell you when she's out of surgery."

"Yeah.." I say fumbling. "Uh okay." Zeke pats me on the back and leads me to the waiting room. Thank god for Zeke.

We sit in silence for the next hour or so with nothing to say. What is there to say? Zeke's presence is just enough to keep me calm on the outside, but on the inside I feel hollow. What do you when the girl you love has practically come back to life after a year of thinking she was dead? God, what am I gonna say?

"Four stop." I look back at Zeke. I didn't realize I had started pacing.

"Sorry." I say "What am I suppose to do? I just- " I stop when I see a nurse enter the waiting room.

"Are you two here to see Tris Prior?"

"Yes." We say at the same time.

"Follow me then." she says. And we make our way to the elevator. My body is buzzing with anxiety. All I can do is stare at the floor until we reach a stop. The door opens and I am immediately met Christina. She looks just as anxious as I do.

"Four!" She runs towards me and I immediately open my arms to hug her. I don't usually like to be touched but with Christina it gives me comfort. She looks up at me.

"Where is she?" I ask.

"In room 406," I start to go for the door then "Four wait." she grabs my arm.

"Christina, please. Let go, I need to see her. You should under-"

"I know I know," she says nodding her head, "but listen, you need to know…before you go in there..she's…she's pretty beat up…and I mean not just initiate training beat up but….she, she looks bad, Four. She's lost a lot of weight and a lot of blood and she may not be the same?" I nod my head, trying not to let my tears go. This is what I was afraid of. "Who knows what she's been through okay? God knows what they did to her."

Her last words punch me in the gut. What they did to her? What does that mean? "Okay, but just give us a little time before sending the doctor in, okay?"

"Okay." she says. "Oh and Four." I turn to look at her "She still loves you you know. Even though she was unconscious on the way here, she kept saying your name." I nod and rest my hand on the door handle. I take one deep breath and open the door.

My next breath catches in my throat. There, lying in the hospital bed is a girl I hardly recognize. She looks like Tris, she breaths like Tris, but it doesn't feel like its really her. I walk closer to the bed and sit numbly in the chair. She looks so serene and peaceful but it's hard for me to look at her. Her face, neck, and arms are covered in scratches,cuts bruises, burns, you name it, its there. If this is what just her face and arms look like, what about the rest of her body? Her skin is ice pale and her body- god her body is so skinny. She looks so frail I'm not sure I want to touch her. She looks even weaker than the small abnegation girl she once was. Instinct takes over and I ever so lightly grasp her hand with mine. The warmth in her hands is practically gone. Tears sting my eyes. I want to hurt whoever did this to her. I want them dead. I don't know how long its been but I can't take my eyes off her. I can't believe she's really here, she's alive! I have wished every single day for 14 months to be with her. I'm practically shaking with shock that I'm actually touching her. I can't help myself but I sneak a small kiss on her forehead, closing my eyes with satisfaction. The moment I sit back down in the chair, a young looking female doctor enters the room.

"Hello," she extends her hand to shake and I accept it, "You must be Tobias Eaton. It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Doctor Analise Rivers. I completed Tris' surgery today and I have been placed on her case."

"Thank you." Is all I can say. I mean after all this is the woman who mended whatever was wrong with her, which leads me to ask, "What exactly was the surgery? I've been told she was…weak but no one has told me of her injuries or health status."

She nods her head. "When she was brought in she had lost about 20% of her blood because of her bullet wound in her calf-"

"Wait, bullet wound? She was shot?" What on earth did they do to her?

"Yes, she was shot in the calf, luckily the bullet went through but due to the fact that she was shot a couple days ago with no medical attention, the wound is infected. Because of the blood loss, she slipped into and unconscious comatose state. So, we drained the puss and put in stitches, but its going to take a while to heal. Meaning, she can't walk on it for a week or so." She looks at me as if to ask if she should keep going. I nod my head, eager to find out more.

"From our scans, we have concluded that she has 3 very bruised ribs, one is practically fractured. Our head scans show that in the last 9 months alone she has received 3 concussions, the most recent one being about 3 or for days ago. There are burns in several places on her body which we have managed to gaff with new skin, but there are only so many scars we can cover up. There are also multiple deep cuts but much shallower than her bullet wound that we've also stitched up. Her back bears whip lash marks, which we've managed to lather up with the highest tech medicine. As for her health, she is 30 pounds less than the amount she should be, and her nutrients are low so we're pumping fluids into her body in order for her to gain the basic nutrients. I'm not sure how much real food she can sustain right now, most likely her body will reject it if we try to give it to her now."

I let out a huge breath. It's a lot to take in.

"I don't don't think any of us can imagine what she's been through but all I can say is that you're girl is a fighter. She's a warrior, she is."

I look at Tris and slightly smile to myself. That's my Tris, the warrior. She was always meant to be brave.

"Listen, Mr. Eaton-"

"Call me Four." Being called Mr. Eaton reminds me of my father.

She gives a nod and a slight smile. "Okay Four. She's going to be very groggy when she wakes up, and she most likely will be a bit confused on where she is and quite possibly who you are. I know you're going to want to be able to be affectionate with her but she hasn't been outside of her underground cell in over a year so she's going to be overwhelmed."

I try not to look disappointed but I know she's right.

"It will be fine, Four. She's just going to need time." Then she heads for the door.

"Thank you Doctor Rivers.." I don't know why but I just feel compelled to let her know how much I appreciate her help, even though its her job.

"Please," she smiles, "call me Analise. Oh and make sure to page me when she wakes up." I nod and she slips out the door. Now all there is left to do it wait for her to wake up. And the waiting is torturous. Christina and Zeke come in at one point. There's little to say but their presence is enough. An hour passes by and they both leave to grab lunch, asking if I want to come along but I shake my head no. I need to be here when she wakes up. And I can't risk that just to grab food. Nurses come and go checking on her, and fixing her pillows and all I do is watch her like a hawk.

Dinner time rolls around and even though my stomach is rumbling I refuse to leave. I finally take a nurse's advice and stand to leave but I see a movement so small I almost miss it. It's just one twitch of her eyelids but it's enough for me to scramble back to my chair and scoot closer to the bed. She's waking up, I know it. Her eyes begin to slowly move under her eyelids and her breathing becomes more alive. My heartbeat gets faster as butterflies form in my stomach. Slowly, her eyes finally open. She suddenly jolts with a gasp and scans the room in fear, unaware of her surroundings. I put my hand on hers to stop her arms from flailing and she flinches, recoiling her hand from mine.

"Tris its okay! Its okay you're safe! You're with me, you're safe." Then her eyes, a striking blue against her pale skin, land on me. My heart stampers in my chest. I've only ever dreamed about seeing those eyes again.

"Tobias." She says barely audible. I nod my head and smile.

"Its me. Its really me." She closes her eyes as tears begin to stream down her face. "I can't believe…oh my go-" She sobs into her hands.

I want to comfort her but I'm unsure how. I'm not good at being gentle but I try my making small circles with my thumb in her palm.

She opens her eyes again, staring at me. "You found me." She whispers. I nod my head and gently lean to kiss her on the cheek, careful not to touch any of the bruises.

"It hurts." She whispers and I nod.

"I'll go page the doctor okay?"

"Okay." I take one last look at her and smile to myself before heading out. She's alive. Tris is really alive.

**What did you guys think? Thank you so much for the great reviews, it means a lot! Please, keep them coming! What do you guys think should happen next? Did you like the reunion? If not, ****don't worry there's more to come!**


	8. Chapter 8

Tris:

I slowly open my eyes but wake with a start. I have no idea where I am and no memory of how I got here. I start to move my arms when suddenly a warm hand grabs on to it. I flinch my hand away, but then I realize who it is.

"Tris its okay! You're safe! You're with me your safe." I stare at him with awe.

"Tobias." I have to say his name in order to believe what I'm seeing is real. The thought of finally seeing him overwhelms me and I let the tears fall. "I can't believe..I just..oh my go-" I can't seem to get the words out. I'm just so overwhelmed with emotions. He's here!

"You found me." I whisper. He nods and slightly smiles. The circles he makes in my palm speaks a thousand words. Now that the excitement is wearing down the pain finally sets in. My calf is burning and my head is pounding. I feel completely drained. I'm not sure how to describe how I feel.

"It hurts."

"I know, I'll go page the Doctor, okay."

I say okay but I don't want him to leave. I feel safer with him here. Once he leaves, so does the warmth of the room. Terrible thoughts of paranoia begin to cloud my head. I don't want to be alone. I can't be alone. What if he's here. What if Connor finds me? What if- The door opens and I nearly jump out of my bed. I will never be able hear a door open without thinking its a guard, ready to take me to my next torture.

"It's okay Tris its just me." Tobias says with a soft voice. A young blonde headed doctor enters the room behind him.

"Hello Tris, My name is Doctor Rivers. I've been assigned your case and I performed the surgery that you recently went under."

"Hello." I manage to squeak out. Its hard for me to trust anyone but I assume since I'm still alive because of her, she's okay.

"How are you feeling Tris?" I shake my head.

"I'm I'm not sure..I just…everything hurts." its all I can manage to get out. "My head, my calf, my ribs, my back…I'm not sure how to explain.."

"That's okay Tris, it's perfectly fine. Would you like to know your health status?" I nod my head and try to listen. But I don't hear what she's saying. Instead, I focus on the warmth in Tobias's hand. He listens to the nurse with concern. I hear bits and pieces but its a lot to take in. Infected gun shot wound, 3 concussions, broken ribs, stitches, 20% of my blood. I truly had no idea how badly I was injured. She looks at me and says "You're a fighter Tris, but you're lucky they pulled you out when they did because your body would have only lasted maybe a couple more months before it finally shut down. Remember, if you ever need anything at all you know where to reach me." She smiles at us both and Tobias and I are left alone.

Tobias:

I slowly sit back down in the chair, keeping my eyes on Tris. I carefully place my hand on top of hers.

"Is this okay?" I ask, looking into those big blue eyes. Her eyes look tired and worn, but they still shine, defiant and bright.

She nods and weakly smiles. "It's more than okay."

Our eyes speak months of lost words. Hardly 2 minutes later, the door opens and I see Tris visibly flinch her whole body, which worries me. Christina and Zeke both walk in looking as shocked as I did. I think they were too focused on rescuing her to realize how bad her condition was. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Christina gently hugs Tris while Zeke pats her shoulder. She winces when Christina hugs her. I hate seeing her in this much pain.

"How you doing Tris?" Zeke asks.

She takes a moment before answering. "I'll be okay." Her grip on my hand tightens. "It's all thanks to you guys though." she says looking at Christina and Zeke. "Seriously, I wouldn't be here without you."

Christina blushes and Zeke waves his hand at her. "We were just doing our jobs. But man are we glad to have you back." He gives a smile and pats her awkwardly on the shoulder. She's so frail, no one quite knows how to touch her without breaking her.

Then Tris looks at them with worry. "What about Cassie? Is she okay? What happened to her?"

"Wait, Cassie? Who's that?" I ask confused. I wasn't aware we had new friends with us.

"She was also held captive," Tris says to me, "we…would often pass each other in the halls or the bathroom, and…" she stops looking into a far off place. Remembering must be hard.

"Well," Christina fills the pause, "she's fine actually, we just came from seeing her. She's pretty banged up too but I think she'll be okay."

A small look of satisfactory passes Tris's face. "Good." She looks from Zeke, to Christina, then to me. Then suddenly she reels back with a look of fear in her eyes. She starts writhe in her bed and move her arms as if to hit something.

"Tris?" She starts to cry and I immediately sit on the bed and wrap my arms around her.

"I'm in a simluation, aren't I? Aren't I?! This is isn't real!"

"No Tris you're safe! It's okay!" Now she starts to scream and wiggle in my arms.

"Get off me! Stop it Connor!" I give Christina and Zeke a look as I try to hold her down and they both quietly leave the room. The door closes but she still shouts and yells. "Get off me!" she yells again. I let go but hold both my hands on her shoulders, and she starts to cry harder with fear.

"Tris look at me. Please Tris look at me!" She snaps her head and her frantic eyes meet mine. "You're safe, okay? I'm real, I'm real."

She studies me hard and her blue eyes pierce mine. She lifts her hand to touch my cheek.

"You're real?" Its such a simple question but it breaks my heart to hear it.

"Yes. Yes I'm real. You're safe with me." She finally begins to calm down and looks around the room."You'll always be safe with me." I now lay in the bed beside her and take her into my chest.

"I'm sorry." she sobs out.

"No, don't apologize, Tris. Don't ever apologize." Her crying becomes more steady.

"I just…didn't know..I didn't know where I was…and I thought I was back.." Her crying takes over her words and I softly stroke her hair for comfort.

"Just go to sleep Tris. I'll be right here until you fall asleep." Her crying quiets down and I stay with her wrapped in my arms until she falls asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Tris:

Its been 4 days since my rescue and I'm still stuck in this stinky hospital bed. I'm supposedly being released this week, that is if my stomach can hold down an entire meal. My body has been rejecting the food they're giving me and the fluids they tried to give me to boost my health make me sick so…trying to get my weight back to a healthy number is quite difficult. It's extremely frustrating for someone like me to not be able to do things for myself. I hate being waited on hand and foot, it makes me feel like a weak invalid. Though lets face it, I am a weak invalid.

Tobias is practically lives here day and night, thanks to Johanna who has given him the next 2 weeks off. Johanna came to see me yesterday and asked me questions even though I said I wasn't ready to talk yet. She hasn't changed a bit. She's like a gentle thunderstorm with the occasional lightning strike. Really, the only person who hasn't visited me is Caleb. Although I have mixed feelings about seeing his face, a small part of me wishes that my last standing family member could be here, sitting by my side. But, I suppose that's what Tobias has become. He became my family the moment he said "I love you" on the train.

After my first night in the hospital (after my simulation episode) Tobias sat in my bed the entire day and all we did was talk and lie in each others arms. There were so many things to be said and stories to be told, we couldn't stop. It was mostly me asking questions about what happened when I "died" and what the new world looks like. Thank god Tobias knows that I'm not quite ready to talk about my 14 months of hell. So, I mostly talked about the rebels and what they wanted.

Now, Tobias and I sit side by side in my hospital bed. The room is dark, and so is the hospital as it gets ready for bed. Tobias finished his dinner within 10 minutes, and I at least managed to get down a roll, and an apple. He slightly traces his index finger up and down my arm, which sends shivers down my spine. I'm still not used to being touched this way. His touch reminds me of our first kiss, which makes me think of his fear landscape, and I have to ask.

"Tobias?" He looks down at me, his eyes a soft dark blue.

"Hm?"

"Have you gone into your fear landscape since I was gone?"

He takes a pause before replying, "Yes I have, actually. It was several months ago though. Why do you ask?"

I look back up at him. "Has it changed at all?" The curiosity is burning in my chest.

He slightly smiles and traces his fingers across my cheek and through my hair. Now I really can't breath. "Yes. Marcus is no longer in it." His voice sounds far away but I feel happy for him.

"Really?! That's amazing! But..you still have four fears?"

He nods his head. "I don't think I'll ever lose the fourth one."

"Can I ask what the fourth one changed to?" He immediately responds with an answer I was not expecting.

"You."

"Me?" I ask "But…I mean I...was dead, how can you fear losing me if I was already gone?"

"You were never gone, Tris. You were always with me no matter what I did or I where I'd go." He places his forehead against mine and I close my eyes, focusing on his breathing. "I never stopped loving you Tris. You were never dead to me."

My heart gives a huge smile that reaches to my face.

"I never stopped either." Tobias smiles and leans his lips in towards mine. They brush only for a second before we kiss. My heart flutters in my chest and I can hardly breath. It's our first kiss in over a year. I have waited so long for this moment, but never realizing how amazing it would feel. I feel as though I've fallen in love all over again.

Tobias:

My whole body bubbles with joy and love. She is here. She is real. And she is mine. We release, both of us slightly breathless. I place my hand behind her neck, and kiss her again this time more sure and with passion. I have wanted to do this the moment I knew she was awake and okay. But, I waited and waited for the right moment so that it didn't overwhelm her. Only in my dreams has this moment ever been so perfect. I'm about to kiss her again but then she smiles and stops me,

"I don't want to go too fast."

I nod, "Yeah, of course." And she lays her head back on my chest.

Soon, Tris is fast asleep after a long day of therapy and tests. I glance down at her while she sleeps on my chest. Her scars only enhance her beauty. I grasp her hands in mine. Her hands are exactly the same size as they were before but rougher. I fall asleep rubbing my thumb in slow circles over the palm of her hand.

**Sorry it took a little longer than I ****wanted it to to update, but yay Fourtris moment!** **Again, thank you so much for your reviews and keep them coming! Where do you think this story should go? What do you think should happen next? Please give me your opinions! **

**-Madi ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

Tris:

_My eyes open to complete darkness and I have no idea where I am. I look for any surroundings but the there only seems to be a black void surrounding me. I scream for help but no one comes._

_How did I get here? Where am I?_

_My questions are answered when suddenly a door opens across from me and a beam of light appears behind it. A man enters the room, but I'm confused because he looks slightly familiar. _

_"Who are you?" I demand. He doesn't answer but walks closer and gives a soft, and creepy smile. I see that he has a small whip in one hand and a syringe in the other. Suddenly I know who he is and what he wants and my feet move before my mind follows. I try to run as fast as I can but the man is faster and he pulls me down but the hair. I scream as he pins me to the ground. _

_"Hello Trisss." He hisses. "Its so good to sseee you again." I kick and punch to get out of his grasp but he's too strong. He looks at me with greedy eyes and I shudder. His hand caresses my face and then slowly moves down to my chest. Embarrassment rushes to my cheeks as he continues to grope. _

_"Stop." I try to say without my voice quivering. "Stop it!" This time I yell. He whips my arm and I yelp in pain. He leans down and whispers in my ear. _

_"You're mine now." He whips again and begins to kiss my neck and collarbone. This time I muster all the spit I can and spit into his face. He growls with anger and plunges the syringe in my neck as I scream one last time for help. Then everything goes black._

Tobias:

My eyes flutter open to the sound of a scream. I know its her scream, which sends jolts of fear throughout my body. _Where is she? What's wrong? Is she hurt?_ But I look over to find Tris screaming in the spot next to me on the bed.

She twists and turns in her sleep but I grab her by the shoulders and gently try to wake her. "Tris!" She whimpers. "Tris, wake up! Tris!"

I shake her harder this time and finally her eyes fly open and she immediately sits up, scanning her surroundings. I sit up with her and place my hands on her shoulders. She flinches and whips her head toward me in fear. Her eyes are wide and shine with tears. The moment she realizes its me, she melts into my arms.

"Its okay Tris, its okay." She gives a sob.

"I'm sorry…I'm just…" She inhales a large breath and breathes out.

"You're safe. I promise."

I feel her nod. "It was just a bad dream. I'm sorry I woke you." She says. I roll my eyes in the dark.

"Don't worry about my sleep. I want you to wake me up. I know…its been.. hard adjusting and I want to help you."

Its been 3 weeks actually. 3 weeks since Tris has been home from the hospital. She's had nightmares at least 3 times a week and it kills me. It kills me to see her so unnerved and so paranoid all the time.

"What was your dream about?" I say now looking at her. Her gaze shifts and she looks at the sheets instead of me. "Was it about Doctor Connor?" She shakes her head.

"No…it was…" She just shakes her head again. "I can't.."

"Its okay. We don't have to talk about." I put my finger under her chin and lift her head so her eyes meet mine. "Whenever you're ready, okay? She nods her head. "Lets get back to sleep." And we lie back down with me protectively holding her so that she'll never be taken again.

Tris:

I wake to an empty bed and a note that says "Went to get breakfast. Be right back. :)" I smile to myself. The events of last night are a bit hazy. The last thing I remember is falling asleep in Tobias's protective arms and finally feeling safe enough to sleep. I'm afraid of falling asleep. I'm afraid of sleeping because I'm afraid of seeing Dr. Connor and his guards. They always appear in my dreams. I slowly lift myself from the bed and hobble over to the bathroom. I just got my stitches out a couple days ago so I have to be extremely careful with my leg. Once I reach the bathroom I cock my head to the side and evaluate myself in the mirror. I certainly look better than I did when I first came but I've still got a long way to go. I want to gain my muscle back but I'm not allowed to exercise until I'm healed and until my body is able to handle physical activity. A knock at the door jolts me out of my thoughts. I walk towards to door expecting it to be Tobias but instead I find Christina.

"Christina? What are you doing here?" She smiles and lets herself in.

"I've been given specific instructions to get you out of this apartment."

"Christina." I give her a warning tone. "You know I'm not suppose to be doing much."

"Shh come one, no one has to know. We're just going to do a bit of exploring." She smiles mischievously.

I roll my eyes. "_Christina." _

_"_Oh come on Tris! You've been stuck in this apartment for more than 2 weeks. I know you're at least a little curious about how much the world has changed since you've been gone."

She got me on that one. Truthfully, I've been extremely curious about what has changed and what hasn't. I guess I just haven't really had the energy to go. But this time I smile.

"Okay, lets do it." Christina squeals a little, while I throw on some clothes, run a brush through my hair, and quickly throw on shoes before we head out the door.

The city has changed immensely. It's cleaner, brighter, and more alive. I get a few stares while walking down the street which, as usual, makes me very uncomfortable. Christina tells me that literally almost everyone knows who I am and knows I've practically "come back from the dead". She shows me the new government building, the new shops and houses. Its really amazing what johanna and the rest of the city's leaders have accomplished in just over a year. Then we reach the DSS building and in it, to my surprise, is a memorial for myself. When she shows me, I am too stunned to move. On a simple white wall in the entrance of the building there is a plaque that reads

"The DSS pays its greatest tributes to:

Tris Prior

A great warrior and savior to our city. Her ambiguity and bravery will never be forgotten."

And surrounding this plaque are the five faction symbols. Its just so strange to see a memorial for yourself. I finally tear myself away as Christina drags me to the elevators. She shows me her "office" (its more like a desk with a computer and a couch), the training rooms, and finally the control room. We meet up with Tobias and Zeke, who are working their shifts. I hear from Zeke that Cassie is doing very well and finally in her own apartment. I wish I could see her but I'm honestly a bit scared to. I'm afraid that seeing her will bring back too many memories. I am also told that Theo had is trial and by talking under the truth serum, he has been allowed to stay in our city. By the time we all sit for lunch, I'm exhausted. I haven't walked that much in who knows how long. I find myself extremely out of breath.

Tobias leans over and whispers in my ear. "You okay there? You look like you just ran a mile." I smile and give him a nudge.

"Too much walking." I laugh.

"Good." He says. "That means Christina did her job." I look at him in the eyes. His safe, blue eyes.

"This was you idea?" He nods his head with a sly smile.

"You needed to get out of the house." He kisses my cheek.

When lunch is over Tobias has been given the rest of the day off so we head back to his apartment. The moment we get inside I collapse onto the bed and groan. Now that all my energy is gone, my body feels sore. Tobias sits on the side of the bed and rubs my back.

"Here." He says handing me a pill bottle. "You need to take your pain meds." I nod my head graciously and gulp down some water. Now we sit facing each other on the side of the bed. He studies me for a second before slightly brushing his thumb over my cheek.

"I hope you enjoyed today." He says. I nod my head.

"It was nice. Its so..strange to see how much everything has changed. It almost feels like another life." He puts both hands slightly below my jawline and ears.

"We haven't changed. You and me. We're still the same." He leans down and I close my eyes as his kiss touches my forehead.

"Yeah." I whisper. This time he kisses me on the lips and I kiss him back.

Tobias:

I kiss her again, on the neck, the check, her lips. I feel so drawn to her in this moment. She places her hand on my shoulder but I notice that its shaking. Before I lean in to kiss her again I notice that her entire body is shaking. I pull away.

"Tris?" I question. Her cheeks flush with embarrassment and tears sit at the rim of her eyes. She pulls away from me.

"I'm sorry." She squeaks out. "Its just..um…I.." She's shaking like a leaf as she places her head into her hands. I place my hand on her back, unsure of what to do.

"Its okay Tris. You can tell me. Whats wrong?" "Are you..I mean..are you uncomfortable?" I'm not sure how to ask what needs to be asked. She lifts her head and bites her lip.

"Its not you…Its." She stares at the floor and takes a deep breath. "When I was in my cell, sometimes a few of the guards would come in after hours..and they would…they would" She stifles a sob and my heart does a back flip in my chest. No no no no no. This can't be happening.

"It started out as just them messing with and taunting me. But then..another night..one of the guards came in alone an was weak…so I couldn't fight back…and and he just kept touching me. He wouldn't stop until I finally got my leg free and kicked him." My heart feels like its being stabbed by a hundred knifes. How could I not know? Who would be sick enough in the head to do that? Anger flushes through my veins. I release the fists my hands were making and gently touch her face.

"You did fight back though. You stopped him."

"I know." She whispers "But that didn't stop him from coming back again."

"I'm so sorry Tris."

"Its not your fault. There's nothing you can do."

"I know." I say, "I'm just sorry that this happened to you." She takes in another long breath and looks me in the eyes.

"I have you now. I know it won't happen again." She smiles slightly and stops a tear from rolling down her cheek. "God I wish I could just stop crying." I laugh.

Now that's the Tris I know. Tough as nails.


End file.
